What Jesus wrote in the sand

Jesus is in Jerusalem for one of the great Jewish holy days teaching a group near the Temple when Pharisees brought before him a woman caught in the act of adultery. Their purpose was really to test Jesus, to put him on the spot, so as to ridicule him. John 8:11 records the story. The scribes and Pharisees who brought her said “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?”

These who brought the woman did so to make Jesus say something which would polarize some for and some against him. If he advised showing mercy, he would have been a “flaming liberal.” If he had said “Obey the laws Moses gave us and stone her to death,” he would have come across as callous. The death penalty left by Moses called for putting to death anyone who worked on the Sabbath, any who practiced sorcery, any who worshipped an idol, any who blasphemed (used God’s name in vain)…any who had sex with an animal, any who killed other than in self-defense…any man who has sex with another man…any who commit adultery or incest…any child who disobeys or strikes his parent…any who act as a medium or wizard.

Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the sand. As they continued to ask him what his position would be, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger in the sand.” And when they heard this, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest.

Scholars have tried to guess what Jesus wrote in the sand. Was it “Thou shalt not commit adultery or fornication” or “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” or “Judge not that you be not judged?” He bent down and wrote in the sand the second time. What do you think he wrote? This is the only time the Bible mentions Jesus writing anything.

One scholar speculated that he wrote “Where is the man?” If this woman was caught in the act of adultery, there had to be a man but the Pharisees only bring the woman to condemn. It would not have been equal justice to punish one without the other. Was Jesus displaying the double standard we live under even today? Jesus asked the woman where are those bringing charges of condemnation. They were gone. Jesus said “Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more.” What a lawyer Jesus would have been. He acknowledged the sin but he offered a new beginning for this woman as he does for us if we really repent.

There is no other record of Jesus writing than this incident, and writing in the sand meant it would not be there but for a few minutes. But the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John should well be written on our hearts.

Then maybe our society would not have double standards and only partial information. How many words of Jesus can you recall from memory. Start with the Golden Rule and the great commandment: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you…Love the Lord thy God with all your heart…soul…mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself!”

Comments are welcome, so long as they are civil. A Facebook account is required. Abuse may result in the commenter being permanently blocked. Personal attacks are strictly prohibited. We reserve the right to remove any comments at any time.